static111 Posted July 11, 2021 Posted July 11, 2021 So I just bought a used H-137 in old school burst from Daves guitars. Should be here next week. Looking forward to joining the club with my ‘17.
static111 Posted July 12, 2021 Author Posted July 12, 2021 Well here is a photo from Dave’s. I really can’t wait to get this in my hands and crank up the tube amp for some tonal bliss.
static111 Posted July 15, 2021 Author Posted July 15, 2021 A little stressed because the package was dropped off at my front door at 1:40 and I don’t get out of work until 5. I guess I assumed that there would be signature confirmation as that has been the case for any guitar I had bought anywhere in the past. It’s 90 degrees out but if it’s on the front door it will be in the shade at least. I’m just hoping a bozo doesn’t come along and try to make off with it.
static111 Posted July 16, 2021 Author Posted July 16, 2021 Guitar arrives safe and sound. It’s really beautiful and has a great sound and feel. I’m having some difficulties adjusting the intonation with the compensated bridge. I may have to get an into stable wraparound, I play some jazzier chords and they sound a little off at different places on the neck. The guitar sounds great and plays so smooth, once I get the intonation issue solved it is likely going to be my #1.
golferwave Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 Great looking guitar! Get yourself a badass style bridge to solve your intonation problem. Stewmac sells many different brands of fully adjustable wrap around bridges. Congrats on your purchase!
bsck1 Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 So happy the guitar arrived without issue. Hope you've got plenty of free time to get acquainted with this beauty.
Gitfiddler Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 Congratulations on your new-to-you H-137! If you are considering a bridge upgrade, check out the API Locking Wrap-Around model. That was used on the HOC Ltd. Ed. H-137 and it works great. Another excellent bridge is Faber 'Wrap Lock' bridge.
static111 Posted July 16, 2021 Author Posted July 16, 2021 2 hours ago, bsck1 said: So happy the guitar arrived without issue. Hope you've got plenty of free time to get acquainted with this beauty. Yep this weekend is going to be all about the 137!
static111 Posted July 16, 2021 Author Posted July 16, 2021 1 minute ago, Gitfiddler said: Congratulations on your new-to-you H-137! If you are considering a bridge upgrade, check out the API Locking Wrap-Around model. That was used on the HOC Ltd. Ed. H-137 and it works great. Another excellent bridge That looks like the lightning bolt bridge that came on mine. can you get good intonation with that? I need to spend a little time working with mine. I used to have CS LP special with a regular non compensated wraparound that surprisingly didn’t have any intonation issues. I’m hoping an hour with the adjustment screws gets me where I need to be before I go the adjustable route. Great looking guitar by the way!
Gitfiddler Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 57 minutes ago, static111 said: That looks like the lightning bolt bridge that came on mine. can you get good intonation with that? I need to spend a little time working with mine. I used to have CS LP special with a regular non compensated wraparound that surprisingly didn’t have any intonation issues. I’m hoping an hour with the adjustment screws gets me where I need to be before I go the adjustable route. Great looking guitar by the way! Yes, the intonation is spot on with the API Wrap Around bridge. That photo is Heritage master builder/luthier, Pete Farmer holding that HOC H-137. Here's another...
static111 Posted July 16, 2021 Author Posted July 16, 2021 42 minutes ago, Gitfiddler said: Yes, the intonation is spot on with the API Wrap Around bridge. That photo is Heritage master builder/luthier, Pete Farmer holding that HOC H-137. Here's another... What is API? A parts manufacturer for heritage? It looks like the MojoAxe lightning bolt style. Soap bars sure do look great on the TV Yellow.
static111 Posted July 18, 2021 Author Posted July 18, 2021 So I do love the guitar and base tone but it looks like she’s gonna need some TLC. I decided to see if I could adjust the intonation with the lightning bolt bridge a little better. Upon trying it was clear that the adjustment hole on the treble side grub screw is worn out as the Allen head that easily turned the bass screw just rolled around the treble side…no wonder the guitar was not properly intonated. Once I discovered this I realized I am probably going to have to get a new bridge anyway,so I removed the strings so i could take some measurements. Well the high e string was stuck in a very tight nut slot, odd for a guitar that was advertised as having a full set up before shipping, on top of the already poor intonation. Next I removed the bridge posts to determine the center to center spacing of the current bushings and discovered that I have two different studs on this guitar, one rounded top and one with a flatter top. The flat top one goes in and out of both existing bushings very fluidly, while the rounded top one is very rough going and almost feels that it is incorrectly threaded or has excess plating. So it’s looking like new studs as well. Luckily I was able to play and bond with this lovely guitar and don’t mind getting a new bridge and dropping it off with my local tech for a full set up and to get it dialed in just right. A bit frustrating that the money saved on a great deal will likely come close to the cost of a new guitar when all the work and parts are factored in. If I couldn’t see the potential in this guitar I would probably be pretty upset, good thing it is going to become a monster!
Steiner Posted July 18, 2021 Posted July 18, 2021 Exactly. Every guitar I've purchased has needed the TLC of the luthier. I've discovered that the Heritages, all of them, are fantastic foundations. Once they're tuned, they are beasts! The 137 is a real fun model that belongs in every stable. Congrats on a beautiful guitar! May she sing like no other.
High Flying Bird Posted July 18, 2021 Posted July 18, 2021 A couple of bozos showed up here in 2017 or so with some fancy 137s. It looks like this bridge is different.
bolero Posted July 18, 2021 Posted July 18, 2021 Those look like Pigtail bridges Static111, if you hold the bolts facing each other & mesh the threads, are there any gaps? Should tell you if they're different or not
static111 Posted July 18, 2021 Author Posted July 18, 2021 1 hour ago, bolero said: Those look like Pigtail bridges Static111, if you hold the bolts facing each other & mesh the threads, are there any gaps? Should tell you if they're different or not They seem to line up together fine. I think the rounded top one has excess plating and didn’t get cleaned up with a die. I’m trying to figure out if they are SAE or metric so I can order the proper locking studs for the replacement bridge. After further examination it appears that all previous adjustments had been made while under tension as one of the studs has an additional groove worn in. I was able to move the worn out grub screw from the treble side and it also appears to have been cross threaded. I also found that based on the tooling marks on the back of the bridge it is actually a mojoaxe 60s style, so probably not even oem. Now to decide on sticking with mojo axe or going with adjustable for more precise intonation. Leaning towards adjustable.
Steiner Posted July 18, 2021 Posted July 18, 2021 It has to be adjustable if your ear can't take bad intonation.
bolero Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 An engineer friend once told me: if you can't make it perfect, make it adjustable
static111 Posted July 19, 2021 Author Posted July 19, 2021 I emailed the fine folks at heritage inquiring about whether the bridge posts are metric or sae and explained I bought a used guitar with a worn out grub screw that I plan on replacing. Their reply was that they are sending me a new bridge even though the instrument is not under warranty! How great is that for customer service? So it looks like I can see if I can get decent intonation with the lightning bolt tail piece after all.
DetroitBlues Posted July 20, 2021 Posted July 20, 2021 I replaced my wrap around lightning bridge with a Schaller Signum bridge on a non-Heritage I have. Works beautifully and doesn't break the bank.... https://schaller.info/en/bridges/351/signum
bolero Posted July 20, 2021 Posted July 20, 2021 Those look pretty slick!! And comfortable to rest your picking hand. lots of rounded edges
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